Marc

Well, I know little, but the hamon is drastically different. And mine is nioi with ko-nie in habuchi. Did some war time smith worked in different traditions? I'm also interested to ear from our literate members.

I saw your recent post Hoanh and I'm curious to know your conclusion.

Here I am. Ok, my photo skills and the polish of this blade are not really high, so I hope it helps.

Hi Hoanh, I'm a lazy fellow. I'll do my best to take some shots Friday at sunlight.

This is really more information that I had expected. both George and Chris, I'm amazed by the quality of your answers. I plan to post some pictures taken at daylight, but bad weather and kids running around prevents me to do so for now.

Thanks for the link Joe, Chris, can you tell me where can I find the Uchiyama article?

Thank you for the additional information Joe. I found and entry for Takai sadatsugu as a rikugun jumei tosho here: http://japaneseswordindex.com/gendai2.htm . I don't know how to verify if it's the same smith. And of course, I was thinking ware and not Hagire. After 1 year of semi-serious study, I just start to grasp the sense of the different terminology. I slowly gain some knowledge on the subject. Reading a little more on the kasama den, I understand a little more the allusion made about the use of the tsugu kangi.

And some more.

Here are the pics shot last night. Has stated, I'll try to take others in sun light in a few days. To my uneducated eye, this is what I see with the blade in my hand: 98 type koshiraeè Traditionally made blade, signed Takai sadatsugu in katana mei, without any date. Kiri yasurime; About 25 1/2 inch long, with fumbary; Hada looks like a mix of masane (near the ha) with itame; I dont really know how to call the hamon. Maybe ko gonume or sugaba based on choji or gonume? In nioi deki. There is some hagire. 1 open layer I think visible in the kissaki and 1 chip of about 2mm x 0,5 mm in the monouchi. 2 or 3 rust spots smaller than 2-3 mm. Fell free to give me your impression on my first gunto.

Thanks to you all. I'm always amazed by the speed of the answers. I'm happy to see I was right on. Tomorrow I'll try to upload some (really poor) pictures. I'll take others to sunlight in a few days.

Greetings gentlemen (woman ?), I'm struggling translating my first mei, so I'm here asking your help. The blade come from a type 98 gunto, who seems traditionally made (visible hada). I read Takai sada tsugu, but I don't find any reference of him in Sough or on Richard Stein website. Can someone confirm my translation and give me information about this smith? On a side note, can someone tell me where to find a lock for a type 98 gunto? Many thanks.

I read somewhere that nagayama Kantei traduction is included in The Connoisseur’s Book of Japanese Swords. Can someone confirm this? I was looking for nagayama book with traduction, but I already have the Connoisseur. Many thanks,

I'm in for one copy.

I was looking for nihonto dealer in the Montreal area. I guess I have found one!

With all these advises and lectures, I think I'll be on a good start. Et merci Jean, I'll find some ways to see the real deal a couple of times. Now in no way I think I'll be an expert in the next years :? . With some work, I would like to be able to differentiate what's a nihonto and what's not. After that, what's a "good" nihonto and what's of lesser quality. And then maybe being able to differentiate epoque of making and school. And now this is why I'm here, lurking on all what you are writing. :D

Again, i want to thank you all. NMB is to me a serious place to learn on all subject related to Nihonto. I really appreciate the fact that members seems to think twice before posting and that all advice given to new members are given in a way to help us learn. On the specific object of this post, like I have said on a previous post, I have bought those books: Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords: A Collector's Guide The Connoisseur's Book Japanese Swords The Samurai Sword: A Handbook The Japanese Sword - Kanzan Sato "The Arts of the Japanese Sword". To this day I have read the handbook and the book from Kanzan Sato, and started the book Facts and fundamentals (first 30 pages). Next one will be the connoisseur's book. Have I understood and learned all? Hell no, but I have started to have a general understanding on some objects. The best way to learn is practice I think and when I will be ready to make my first buy I'll first try to analyze the blade with my new learned concept and second ask to the members their advise on my analysis and on the object. The other option will be to attend to shows and to nihonto club meeting. Just need to find the time... Again I appreciate all the input received since today and you make me really fell like home here. Ps.: English is not my mother thong so if something looks lost in translation guess what...

Thank you Denis for the welcome. And Ken, this link is really helpful. It seems to have all the information a newbie would need. So I made my order. It is: Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords: A Collector's Guide The Connoisseur's Book Japanese Swords The Samurai Sword: A Handbook The Japanese Sword - Kanzan Sato "The Arts of the Japanese Sword" ( I find it cheap) I'm a big reader, but I think I'll have for a couple of months. And yes it is hard not to buy anything, since there is what looks like good deals on the classified. So again thanks a lot, I think you will see me in the future with newbie questions. Marc-André

Thank you Stephen, but the book The Japanese Sword (Japanese Arts Library) is not available for shipping to Canada. Something must be really dangerous about it . Marc-André

First I must say thank you all. I wouldn't ask for a warmer welcome. But the speed of your response is really amazing. Stephen, many thanks for your offer. I'm in Montreal, Canada. I found the book on amazon for 15$, free shipping. This price is so cheap, I can't ask you to go thru the trouble of shipping your book. So if I read well your posts, I should wait before buying more "rare" and pricey books and concentrate on " general" books. This 3 books would be 110$ including shipping. Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords: A Collector's Guide The Connoisseur's Book Japanese Swords The Samurai Sword: A Handbook The Japanese Sword - Kanzan Sato is a little harder to find, but I found one used for 45 $ shipped. So I should be good with those 4. I would like to ad a book on gendaito, can you suggest me one? Marc-André

Thank you Hoanh, I'll start to browse the net for these 2. Marc-André

Hi Martin, Thank you for the link Martin, there is a lot of lecture to start. Now about what I want to do in the futur, this is less clear. I'm not a collector by nature, but my love for nihontos seems to be stronger than my nature :D . I would like to better understand the characteristics of nihonto and to be able to make the difference between eras, schools, makers, etc. I'm not sure I'm clear, don't hesitate to ask me more questions. Marc-André

Greetings everyone, First thing I'll present myself: my name is Marc-André. I'm a JSA practitioner and also a nihonto lover. I've been reading this forum for a couple of month now and here is my first post. So I'm new to this forum and to nihonto in general. I think I'm now ready for my first big buy... Books! I don't have any at home, except Japanese swords cultural icons of a nation by roach and Samurai la grace des guerriers from the Montreal exposition of Dr Béliveau collection. So I now need your help for my first serious buy. I have fixed a budget between 250$ and 500$, including shipping. This is what I was thinking, considering what I have read here and elsewhere: The arts of Japanese sword. Less than 50$ The connoisseur's book of Japanese sword. About 70$ Modern Japanese sword and swordsmith. About 40$ 100 masterpieces from the collection of compton. About 130$ Token Bijutsu - The Journal of Japanese Fine Art Swords: Collected Essays, Volume 1 & 2 : about 270$ Art and the sword, 8 volumes. About 210$ Those prices include shipping fees.What do you guys think of this list? Also, since my maximum budget is 500$, which books should I priories? Thanks in advance for all you advices, Marc-André